Machine for splitting hogs and cattle through the backbones.



A. M. BURLESON. MACHINE FOR SPLITTING HOGS AND CATTLE THROUGH THE BAGKBONES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19, 1907.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

a Q W m y m/W A 1-H: NORRIS PETERS 120., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED TAT ATENT OFFTQE.

OF NORTH FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN W. DAVIS, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

ANDREW M. BURLESON,

MACHINE FOR SPLITTING- HOGS AND CATTLE THROUGH THE BACKBONES.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

No. 902,709. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 19, 1907. Serial No. 398,256.

To all whom it may concern: plunger may be driven by any suitable power. Be it known that 1, ANDREW M. BURLE- i I show one way of driving the plunger. A son, a citizen of the United States, residing crank frame 4 is connected rigidly with the at North Fort Worth, Texas, have invented beams 1 and 2 by bolts. A crank-shaft 13 is certain new and useful Improvements in Majournaled in the frame 1. A connecting rod chines for Splitting Hogs and Cattle Through 14 engages the shaft 13 and is pivotally conthe Backbones, of which the following is a l nected with the plunger 6. Means are prospecification. vided for driving the shaft 13. A bracket 15 My invention relates to butchering mais attached to frame 4 and the shaft 13 pro chines and particularly to machines for dijects through the vertical portion of the viding carcasses through the backbones, and l bracket 15. Abevel gear wheel 16 is mounted the object is to provide a machine which will i on the shaft 13. A flexible shaft 17 is jourdivide a carcass quickly and which will dinaled in the horizontal part of the bracket 15 and provided with a bevel gear 18 which vide the backbone longitudinally into tw drives the bevel gear 16. By means of the 0 equal parts through the spinal cavity and l through the spines. bevel gear and the flexible shaft the plunger One object is to provide a machine which may be driven at any ordinary position of the will guide itself and which is light and portmachine.

The guides 7 and able and which may be driven by any suitbeing attached thereto 8 carry the follower 19,

able power.

Other objects and advantages will be fully rivets. The follower 19 is to be started in explained in the following descri tion andthe the spinal cavity. The weight of the machine will cause the follower 19 to remain in the cavity and follow the cavity down as the cleaver cuts the back-bone. The cleaver 5 has a slot 20 and the follower 19 has slots 21 in each side thereof. The cleaver straddles the follower in its vertical motion. The cleaver does not reach as low in its stroke as the point of the follower 19. The follower presses constantly downward and the cleaver has a vertical reci rocal'motion and does the cutting and the fo lower precedes the cleaver slightly. Consequently the follower will not be displaced in operation. The follower is provided with positive means for preventing the displacement thereof. Barbs 22 are attached to the point of the follower. If there is any tendency of the follower to rise the points 22 would catch in the flesh and prevent the follower from rising out of the spinal cavity. If any further guides are needed, toothed wings 23 are attached to the sides of beams 1 and 2 ,so that these wings will yield upward but not downward lower than the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and will prevent lateral and upward displacement of the follower during operation. The teeth of the wings will engage adjacent portions of the carcass if the machine is moved to one side or upwards, but the wings will yield upwards relative to the machine so that the wings will not impede the downward passage of the machine.

Machines of different sizes will have to be invention will be more particu arly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with one of the frame pieces removed. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the machine with the frame shown in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the guards against upward movement of the machine. Fig: 4 is a side elevation of one of the cleaver guards. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section along the line a: x of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cleaver.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The machine is provided with main frame consisting of horizontal beams 1 and 2 which are bolted together by bolts 3. The frame is further strengthened by the crank frame 4 which is bolted to both frame pieces. The machine is provided with a cleaver 5 which is operated by a plunger 6. The plunger is guided in its reciprocal vertical movement by the frame pieces 1 and 2 and by the cleaver guides 7 and 8, the plunger moving in the slots 10 of the guides. The guides 7 and 8 are attached to the frame by riveting the guides to plates 11 which are then secured. to the frame by means of bolts 3. The plunger 6 carries the cleaver 5 in a slot therein. The

by suitable bolts or made for operating on different sized animals as for instance it will not take as large amachine for operating on hogs as it would for operating on cows. machine may be varied on the proportion and construction of the various parts without departing from my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame consisting of two beams bolted together and a crank frame bolted to said beams, a crank mounted in said crank frame, guides carrying a follower attached to said frame, a cleaver operating between and below said guides and on each side of said follower, and means for driving said cleaver from said crank.

2. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame, guides attached to said frame and carrying a follower, and a cleaver reciprocating vertically between said guides and on each side of said follower.

3. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame, guides attached to said frame, and carrying a spinal cavity follower, means for preventing the displacement of said follower, and a cleaver reciprocating vertically between said guides and on each side of said follower.

4. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame, guides attached to said frame and carrying a spinal cavity follower, a cleaver operating between said guides and on each side of said follower, said follower having slots in each side cleaver having a slot in the lower part thereof to receive said follower, and means for driving said cleaver.

It is apparent that the l l l l l 1 thereof and said I 5. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame, guides attached to said frame and carrying a spinal cavity follower, a cleaver operating between and below said guides, the point of said follower preceding and guiding the cleaver, and means for driving said cleaver consisting of a crank frame attached to said frame, a crank shaft j ournaled in said crank frame, gearing for driving said shaft, and a link rod pivotally connected to said crank shaft and to said cleaver.

6. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame provided with toothed wings and a crank frame bolted to said frame, guides attached to said frame and carrying a follower, a cleaver operating be tween said guides and on each side of said follower, a plunger carrying said cleaver, a crank shaft journaled in said crank frame and a link rod pivotally connected to said crank shaft and to said plunger, and means for driving said crank shaft.

7. A machine for splitting the carcasses of animals comprising a frame consisting of two beams and a crank bracket bolted thereto, plates, guides riveted to each side ofsaid plates and carrying a follower, said plates being secured between said beams, a cleaver reciprocating vertically between said guides, and a point on said follower preceding and guiding the strokes of said cleaver.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of August, 1907.

ANDREW M. BURLESON.

Witnesses A. L. JAoKsoN, R. O. KNAPP. 

